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Lawrence Tarbert sentenced for killing Joseph Glen Pruitt in 2011.

Tarbert gets life sentence for murder

By Duane Barbati

dbarbati@alamogordonews.com @DuaneBarbati on Twitter

Posted:
09/03/2013 09:36:50 PM MDT

Duane Barbati/Daily News
Lawrence Tarbert enters 12th Judicial District Court Tuesday. Tarbert was sentenced to life in prison plus one year for fatally shooting Joseph Glen Pruitt in the back of the head in 2011. Pruitt s body was found by mountain bikers adjacent to a hiking trail near Bridal Veil Falls in Fresnal Canyon in the Lincoln National Forest. (null)

Lawrence Tarbert was sentenced to life in prison plus one year in 12th Judicial Court for fatally shooting Joseph Glen Pruitt in the back of the head in 2011.

Tarbert sat silent through his entire sentencing hearing except to consult with his standby attorney Tuesday.

In a plea agreement with the state, Tarbert also received a 27 year concurrent prison sentences for three counts of tampering with evidence, three counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of larceny of a firearm, one count of larceny over $500 and one count of conspiracy for tampering with evidence.

In the plea agreement with the state, Tarbert pleaded no contest to one count of first-degree felony murder and the other nine felony charges in June 2013.

He will also have to pay a $300 DNA sample fee and pay $50 into the domestic violence fund.

Tarbert, 31, must serve a mandatory 30 years in prison before being eligible to appear before the New Mexico Parole Board.

Pruitt's father, Joseph Pruitt said he was not happy with Tarbert's prison sentence.

"I am going to make sure that he doesn't parole out," Joseph Pruitt said. "I am not satisfied with Tarbert's sentence. I wish he would have got consecutive sentences. Tarbert needs to stay in prison. I am satisfied with the Otero County Sheriff's Office investigation."

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Pruitt, 25, of Sheffield, Ala., was a living at the same residence with Lawrence Tarbert, 31, and his wife, Jessica Tarbert, 29, for several months prior to his death.

At the time of Tarbert's arrest, Otero County Sheriff Benny House said it was learned through investigation that Lawrence Tarbert was directly connected with Pruitt's homicide and Lawrence was planning to move to Massachusetts at the end of January 2013.

Lawrence was arrested in Nuckolls County, Neb., then extradited to Otero County and charged with Pruitt's murder. Lawrence's wife, Jessica Tarbert, was also arrested in Nebraska and extradited to Otero County. She is still facing charges of tampering with evidence and conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

Pruitt's body was found by mountain bikers adjacent to a hiking trail near Bridal Veil Falls in Fresnal Canyon in the Lincoln National Forest in June 2011. Pruitt's autopsy revealed that he died from a single gunshot wound to the back of his head.

Representing the state, Chief Deputy District Attorney David Ceballes said with the terms of the plea agreement, there was not much discretion the judge could do in regards to sentencing.

"We're satisfied with the sentence," Ceballes said. "We believe the sentence fits the crimes committed by Tarbert. It's exactly what we asked for. Basically, the judge would have the ability to reject the plea agreement at the plea hearing if he didn't feel or agree that it was fair or a just recommendation for sentencing. If he would have rejected it, we would have started from square one but since he accepted the plea agreement at the hearing then he was essentially bound by the state's recommendation to run sentence concurrently. As we indicated in the sentencing hearing Tuesday, the defendant's finally taking responsibility for the crimes. It obviously saves the taxpayers of New Mexico valuable resources that can be used in other cases."

He said it's part of the rational for the state entering into a plea agreement with Tarbert.

"We believe a life sentence in New Mexico is a life sentence in New Mexico," Ceballes said. "It's unlikely under this plea agreement he will ever parole from prison. It was to get justice for the family. We could have proceeded to trial on each of his charges. Ultimately the court could have decided to run each of the sentences concurrently. The fact that Tarbert entered into a plea agreement with a first-degree murder charge, the law requires that he serve a life sentence. What we know about convicted murderers ability to parole in New Mexico under this legal frame work is that it's unlikely he would parole. I believe Tarbert understands that as well. I don't think there's anything in the public record or any place in the public record where Tarbert expressed remorse."

He said he is very grateful to the law enforcement for not loosing faith in their investigation especially Otero County Sheriff's Office detective David Hunter.

"Hunter kept tabs on the Tarberts," Ceballes said. "He followed up on the initial investigation. When he thought it was appropriate he went to Nebraska to secure confessions from the defendant, Tarbert. His part and law enforcement's part in the investigation ultimately secured a conviction in this case. The investigation revealed that Joseph Glen Pruitt was in a homeless area in Alamogordo. He was befriended by the Tarberts. The Tarberts had told Pruitt that a condition for living in the house, Pruitt was not to bring any drugs or alcohol into the house. The investigation revealed that allegedly Pruitt had began consuming alcohol. It didn't sit well with Lawrence Tarbert so rather then evict Pruitt, Tarbert took matters into his own hand."